sticks and stones may break my bones....

we all could finish that quote i'm sure. and if we thought hard enough, i bet we could think of a time where we actually rattled it off at someone. but the truth is...words do hurt us.

 one of the many things i'll be focusing on throughout this year is my words. we are always talking to our boys about how they speak to each other. and to be honest, sometimes i need to have that conversation with myself.

how many times have you said something, and the minute it comes out of your mouth you wished you could take it back? for me, more.than.i.can.count. 

and i've also been on the flip side. i've had people say things that have left me bruised emotionally.

what i've learned...neither of these is a place i want to be. and there's something i can do. i can control how i speak to others and make them feel.

with my focus being on "love" and all that it involves, i want to make sure i not only demonstrate it in my actions but also my words.

 i want to be an encourager, building people up, not tearing them down.

 i want to speak words of affirmation. giving more compliments to others. i mean, who doesn't love getting compliments??

 i want to speak positively about others. even when it means i really have to look for something nice to say.

i want to speak the truth in love. this one is tricky for me. my delivery doesn't always come across the way i intend for it to.
 i want to learn to confront someone not in a bold harsh way but in a spirit of meekness.

i found this little acronym on pinterest. and thought this is simple enough to remember each day! 

do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

ephesians 4:29